


A Little More Time By Your Side

by banirabreeze



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-28 11:12:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6326761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/banirabreeze/pseuds/banirabreeze
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A prompt from a list on tumblr: “You’ll never feel alone with me by your side”</p><p>I feel like this could have been shorter but I talk a lot so soz</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little More Time By Your Side

**Author's Note:**

> The Seine is the big river that runs through France, as seen in Evillustrator and probably some other episodes

Adrien loved being Chat Noir. Not only was Chat not tied down by all of Adrien’s responsibilities, but Chat also got to spend time with the love of his life, Ladybug. Although he had a very busy schedule involving classmates, tutors, photographers, and sometimes even celebrities, Adrien always felt alone. Very few people ever took the time to get to know Adrien, his likes and dislikes, his sense of humor (including his love for puns), or anything else besides what one could gather from small talk and interviews in magazines. The only person who did know Adrien inside and out was his mother, and she was gone now. 

But now there’s Ladybug. Ladybug doesn’t know Chat Noir’s secret identity, she doesn’t know his favorite color or his favorite foods, and she often shoots down his jokes, but she is the only one who gets to see him be his true self. Without the mask, Adrien must always uphold his reputation as the son of world-famous designer Gabriel Agreste. But once the claws come out, he is freed from the pressures of his father’s constant scrutiny. That’s why, as awful as it sounds, everyday Adrien would go through the motions of his mundane routine and hope for an akuma attack, just so he could transform and fight crime with Ladybug. He’s sure that Ladybug doesn’t mind his company, but does she crave it like he does? Does she think about him when he’s not around? Does she, too, find herself wishing that someone would get akumatized so they could be together again? He wishes he could ask her. Even though being Chat Noir lets him be brave enough to be himself, no amount of bravado could bring him to ask Ladybug what her true feelings for him are. He can’t even tell her how much he loves her, never mind asking to hear her feelings in return. 

\--

One afternoon, by the time Ladybug and Chat Noir have defeated the latest akuma, it was late enough that classes would be over, and it just so happened that Adrien had no other engagements that night. This was his chance to spend more time with her, rather than spending another lonely night in his room, which felt less like an sanctuary and more like a prison cell, the bars on his window emphasizing the effect. 

“So, my lady, what are your plans after this?” he asked, just as his miraculous beeped and the first paw pad on his ring disappeared. 

“Well, since both of us are going to detransform soon, I was gonna head home. You should too, before you turn back into a pumpkin.” 

How could Chat ask to spend time with her without sounding too clingy and desperate? “Ahh, well, the city might still be in danger! You never know when the next akuma attack might be… I think we ought to retransform and do a patrol around, just in case?” 

Ladybug looked doubtful, suspicious of his intentions even, but to his secret delight she said, “Sure. You can come up with some good ideas sometimes. Meet you back here in 15 minutes after we recharge our kwami?” 

Chat made a show of bowing at the waist, then trotting away down an alley, calling back to her, “It’s a date! See you soon, my lady!” 

“It’s not a date!” she called back, running in the opposite direction to find cover so she could release her transformation.

\--

Exactly 15 minutes later, Ladybug arrived back at their determined meeting spot to find Chat already there waiting for her. He was staring up at the Eiffel Tower, fidgeting with his hands. He almost looked… nervous? Which was weird, because usually her partner was constantly putting on a show of nonchalance and bravery. She’d never actually seen anything get to him before, so she was sure that her suspicions were right. This meeting was not about patrolling the city; there was something else on Chat’s mind. 

“It’s incredible, isn’t it?” she asked as she walked to stand by his side. “Millions of people come from all over the world to see this amazing monument, but we’ve climbed all over and nearly destroyed this thing dozens of times.” She let out a quick laugh, covering her mouth with her fingers. 

Chat looked at her, his expression so soft that it caught her off guard. “I’ve had a lot of fun, destroying precious national monuments with you,” he said, and the ridiculous statement said with such sincerity made them both laugh. 

“Me too. Shall we start our ‘patrol’ now?” Ladybug winked, and hooked her yoyo on the roof of a nearby building. She used it to propel herself on to a rooftop, leaving Chat to follow her. 

Ladybug let Chat catch up to her on top of a billboard, looking over the Seine. It was dark now, and the city of lights reflected off the water and surrounded her partner with a soft golden glow. She was sitting on top of the billboard with her legs hanging down when he joined her. She patted the space next to her, and he looked confused but complied and sat down beside her. 

“No sign of an akuma yet, huh?” she teased. 

“Nope… but maybe we should keep looking! Our transformations won’t wear off until we use our powers.” Even behind the mask, Chat looked distressed at her statement.

“Chat… why don’t you want to go home? What is this about?” Ladybug couldn’t stand beating around the bush. It was always better to tackle something head on than try running around it.  
She was expecting him to put up a fight, but Chat surrendered immediately. 

With a sigh, Chat hung his head and confessed, “I don’t want to go home because my house is like a prison. My guardians are overbearing and my alter ego is always alone, even when he’s surrounded by people. I would rather fight akuma with you as Chat Noir than be all alone as myself.” Both of his hands were in his lap, and he was fidgeting with them again. 

Ladybug didn’t know how to react to such a confession. When she was Marinette, she had loving parents and a best friend who knew her inside and out. Her heart broke from the knowledge that her partner did not have the same support in his civilian life. 

“Well… I can’t promise that we will always be able to hang out like this after an attack, but I do enjoy having you as my partner. I wouldn’t be able to do anything without you, so I’m very lucky to have you by my side. Even when we’re not fighting akuma, you are still my dear friend and trusted partner.” She reached for his fidgeting hand and squeezed it gently, and used her other hand to stroke the back of it. “I hope that you’ll never feel alone with me by your side.” 

“Thank you, Ladybug.” Chat looked up from his lap at her with glistening eyes. “That means more to me than you know.” 

She smiled back at him, and gave his hand one more reassuring squeeze. 

They sat in comfortable silence in a while, and Ladybug realized that she enjoyed seeing this different side of Chat Noir, even if her heart was breaking for him at the same time. Underneath that mask is a real person with everyday problems just like her. Maybe his alter ego and hers would be friends someday without either of them knowing it. She hoped so, but she would keep this to herself for now. 

Breaking the silence, Ladybug stood up and stretched with a loud sigh. 

“Well, it’s getting pretty late, my parents will be expecting me soon. I would offer to walk you home, but, ya know, secret identities and all that. How about we head back to our original meeting spot?” Ladybug offered her hand down to Chat, who took it and rose up next to her. 

“Now, now, this cat can drag himself home all by himself anyways. But I must say that I had a purrrfect evening with you, my lady. Catch you later,” he said and grabbed his baton, ready to launch himself towards a nearby rooftop. 

“Wait--!” Ladybug grabbed his arm before he could take off. “If you ever want to do this again… same time, same billboard?” 

Chat flashed a cattish grin, but his eyes were still soft. “Yeah. I’d like that.” 

Realizing she was still gripping his arm, she gasped and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. Chat winked at her and was off. Ladybug watched him until he was completely out of sight, and then headed home herself.

\--

Chat leapt from rooftop to rooftop absentmindedly, because his mind was still on the conversation he’d had with Ladybug that night. He couldn’t believe how quick he had been to spill his guts, and he felt embarrassed by it. But Ladybug didn’t laugh at him or tell him he was being clingy and desperate. She was kind and understanding, and he vowed to not let himself take advantage of her gracious offer to spend more time with him on top of that billboard. He couldn’t even remember what the billboard was advertising, and he was so nervous on the way there that he wasn’t sure he could find it again. 

Chat slid into his room through the window and flopped down into his bed with a sigh, releasing his transformation. He didn’t know when he would see her next, but his heart felt full. Sure, he still didn’t get a chance to confess that he loved her, but to have her by his side was enough for now.


End file.
